Giveaway............

Hip Hip Hooray :)

My lovely boss has given me a copy of the BRAND NEW Crafter's Inspiration Magazine Issue 12 to Giveaway to one of my lovely crafty friends :)

This edition is jampacked FULL of inspiration and tutorials and fab freebies so you can start crafting straight away

This issue is particulary special to me :) I was totally honoured to give a little interview, you can read it in full in the Magazine

Leave a comment here by Sunday 23rd October by 7pm GMT 

and I'll draw a winner out

Jo

x x x

Happy Friday...

Happy Friday

Its half term, which means lie ins whoooooop, lazy pj days whoooo, Although I do want to get the kids out and about in some fresh air, I love the Autumn, my fave time of the year, the colours are amazing, and its the official countdown to Christmas :)

I hope you all have a restful week if you are on half term

Today IS the day Leann will share these fab NEW NEW pens with you :) 10AM on Hochanda, I'm all set with a cuppa and record button, might even crack open a packet of biccys

This is another scene from Make it Crafty, this image was the second image I coloured up with these markers and I was blown away how easy the blend on them is.

This image is from Mo Manning, how cute is he! I used more of the vintage tones in this one

This one is another from Delicious Doodles, its one of my fave Christmas images ever, I adore it!

I really hope you have a GREAT Friday

Until next time

Jo

x x x

Tomorrow, Tomorrow...

Is only a heartbeat away...........

I am too excited, I mean REALLY!

Did someone say NEW PENS...................

AT 10AM TOMORROW with Leann on Hochanda

Oh Yes indeedy!

3 days in a row, I feel like I have all my ducks lined up lol! Hope you are all well :)

Leann will launch the fantastic NEW Spectrum Noir Illustrator pens over on Hochanda, and there is a discount if you are a Freedom member, and and and........ you wait till you see this babies in action, I mean seriously they are so cool!

The are dual ended, 1 end a fine nib for all your detailed work, the other a glorious brush nib for just about everything else! I'm a bit of a geek, I like the feel of these pens I mean the casing lol, so smooth, and I love the colour. Talking of which, the colours! OMG - Wait till you see them, there are some absolute corkers! the vintage tones are my fave :) 

Here are a few samples from me :)

I have used the brush nib only to colour these - Happy Days

This image is from Delicious Doodles. I believe the sentiment is from Whimsie Doodles, although not 100% sure. I love how easy it was to create the sky.

This image is from A day for daisies, and I wanted to add a blue tone to her hair, I love using greys to shadow my pinks too

This scene is from Make it Crafty, I adore the scenes, but I'm always to anxious to colour them, but I just had to with these pens, I was trying to create a sunrise.

Honestly tune in to the shows, you will learn heaps :)

Until next time

Jo

x x x

Hello Little Angel...

Well GOOD Morning!

2 days in a row!!!

Hump day, I love Wednesdays, My Ella is at club so I get an extra hour at the end of the school day, honestly that extra hour is like golddust, it really means I can get a solid days work in! 

And I do have lots to be doing as usual lol

Today I wanted to share a couple of makes from the gorgeous Little Angels Range

This collection is seriously seriously CUUUUUUUUTE!

So I went with Pink for a Girl

I adore that Baby Sentiment die, so so elegant, the paper pad in this collection is so cute. I love the tone of the pink, not to pale and not to Barbie, just right!

and Neutral for a Boy

Pretty much the same design as above but different colours and the Elephant die instead of the Giraffe, how cute are they?!

and then every colour as you don't know what your having hehehe

I knew what I wanted to do with these dies when I saw them, I think they are fab and so so cute!

Again that baby sentiment die, my fave I think

You can find the range HERE in the shop

I got it wrong yesterday drat! thats excitement for you, its ACTUALLY 2 sleeps today *sigh* lol

Hope you have a GREAT DAY

Until next time

Jo

x x x

OCTOBER!!!!!!!

Hiya Everyone

Oh my gosh, I always have such good intentions when I come to blog but months seem to pass before I get a chance! Highlights of a busy life lol

So heaps of launches have passed and heaps of fab samples I could have shown you too eeeeek

So I need to make up for that!

I hope you are all doing ok, and life is being kind, I kinda think I have forgotton how to blog hop around, I am going to try very hard to have a go at it tonight and tomorrow, fingers crossed :)

So one of my favourite, favourite launches EVER! Happened!

Oh Yes

Autumn Morning

As soon as this arrived at my house, I was giddy with excitement, every single thing in this collection screams at me! I could not wait to get started with it, and the samples I am seeing with crafter's using it are AMAAAAAAAZING! like seriously gorgeous, so you all love it as much as me :)

I wanted to try a clean and simple look as I totally knew at some point I'd go super heavy on the leaves and autumn colours!, I cut the die through the white cardstock and layered a piece of the patterned paper behind it, I then added a few touches of glitter, I die cut lots of leaves in white and the patterned paper and shaped them with a ball tool, the sentiment I stamped in the corner, and a few matts and layers, I was really pleased with how clean and simple this one finished up.

As soon as I saw this embossing folder I KNEW, I JUST KNEW, I had to do something for the kiddies with it, Just plain black card and a white inkpad, a few cut leaves shaped with an embossing tool, and super fun googly eyes :)

Then I went LEAF MAD, I mean seriously you could get lost in making leaves, there is something extremely theraputic about making them and then inking them up. This sentiment is my favourite from the entire collection, such a lovely one. The picket fence I have to admit has now become one of my GO to dies, I adore it. I have a 2 little pots on my desk of what I would call my essential dies, the ones I use over and over and over again, the picket fence has ended up there lol, it doesn't have time for a home with the rest of my dies!

A leafy close up, just because I love them!

For this one I was trying to go with clean and simple again and I did the same as I did with the first card, although I matted behind with red mirri card, it screams Canada at me now, everytime I look at it.

So you can find my fave range ever HERE in the Crafter's Companion Website, the website has had an overhaul and is super slick! check it out :)

Something else super major happened for Crafter's Companion too

Sara welcomed her second child into the world

How beautiful is this little man and his mammy

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS

x x x

Next week is Birthday Week, whoop whoop whoop, actually technically as I type its 2 sleeps! The new launches are amazing!!!!! You can catch it all on Hochanda

Thanks for popping by, I am actually, seriously going to try and do some blogging now 

Enjoy your night

Until next time

Jo

x x x

Hello Sunshine...

Happy Saturday

I have heaps to get done today all creative goodness :)

If you are looking for my BLOG HOP post please scroll down :)

Today I have a frame to share with you, using the gorgeous Colourista range

This is one I printed from the USB and coloured up, I added a little sparkle pen and white gel pen to bring it to life, think I need my sunglasses lol. This image reminds me so much of breakfast time and the old cornflakes box :)

I honestly cannot wait to colour this one up again, it is such a happy image. I printed it onto kraft card - neenah desert storm, which is avaliable in the Crafter's Companion shop the white frame I picked up from a cheap shop

I'll be tapping my feet waiting for Strictly tonight! SUPER EXCITED! lol

Have a great day

Jo

x x x

Oh Christmas Tree...

How loverly it is to see thee...

I really need to get myself into full Christmas mode! I have been making Christmassy items for MONTHS, but nothing for myself argh! I even have my Christmassy playlist on my Ipod and have been rocking around my Christmas tree in my chair :) 

I really loved this card I made, its quick, simple and easy and I have made a little tutorial for you on the Spectrum Noir website on how to create it - Coming Soon :) 

I think I may well end up doing a few more like this over the coming months :)

I create the tree branches using aquablend pencils and sparkle pens, the lights I used the baubles from Sara's Luxury Christmas range - Avaliable in the Crafter's Companion store, and I added a little white gel pen to them, matted and layered with card and it makes a real quick card :)

The sparkle pens add a gorgeous touch of glitter (not that this pic picked it up!)

Thanks for stopping by

Until next time

Jo

x x x

If Friends were Flowers...

Happy Bank Holiday Monday :)

This seriously means blink and the kiddies will be back to school! WHERE has this 6 weeks gone :(

I have been working heaps this holidays so haven't done as much as I would have liked to with the kiddies, hopefully I'll make it up to them in the run up to Christmas :)  but work is work!

Next year I plan to book a little holiday somewhere, here in the UK though, Niall wouldn't adapt well to going abroad - its a long time away yet lol

Today I have a clean and simple card to share with you using some of the gorgeous dies avaliable over at Crafter's Companion. I do love it when I can construct a card solely from dies and the lemon colour on this worked really well.

The embossing folder is from the Darice range - you can find these in the Crafter's Companion store and I decided to keep it very clean, the oval is from the Downton Abbey range, and the flower is one of the quilling flowers from Die'sire, I used a little yellow distress ink, the spirals are the stamen die which you use in the centre of your quilled flowers, the sentiment is from one of the stamp packs avaliable in the store.

I love a little bit of dimension

Thanks for stopping by

Hope you have a fantastic day

Jo

x x x

Baubles...

Hiya Everyone

Happy Sunday to you :)

Thanks so much for stopping by on the recent Colourista Blog Hop I really appreciate your time and comments - you will ADORE the Colourista range

Thought I'd pop in with a little make I made using the Butterfly Mixed Media Dies from Crafter's Companion

and a Bauble I found in a store

I made a box from Centura pearl and lined it with some of the A3 printed centura pearl cardstock and  a little tissue paper. The bauble is one you can find in stores, I opened it up and added some of the butterflys hanging and some more tissue paper. I think its really sweet to give as a little Christmas gift for teachers or first Christmas bauble :)

You will find heaps of Mixed media dies over in the Crafter's Companion Store

Thanks for popping by

Have a lovely Sunday

Jo

x x x 

Introducing Colourista!!!!!!!!!

WOW its been a mega long time, I hope you are all well!

 I am here to share some exciting news today :)

Have you seen some of the previews of the BRAND NEW Colourista range from Crafter's Companion?!

OMGOSH its AMAZING..............................................

We are having a fab and fun Blog Hop today in the run up to the WORLD LAUNCH over on HSN on August 30th

Its gonna be massssssssssssive, Honestly adult colouring reaches a whole new level with this collection - Glitter, Foil, New colours oh my days!!!!!!!

You can catch Sara with this fantastic launch :) the team have been having so much fun colouring and creating with these colouring pads :)

You can hop along and see so many wonderful creations, starting at the Spectrum Noir Blog

Spectrum Noir

Chrissie Tobas 

  Laine Webb

Jodi Clark

Lis Murphy

Kendra Weitstock

Jo Mckelvey - You are Here

Annie Wills

Mari Kocjancic 

Dana Warren

Nicole Bretherick 

  Lori Barnett 

Tracey Freeman 

  Giovana Smith 

  Bianca Shervington 

Alexia Misso 

  Jennifer Tyron 

  Debbie Seyer 

Sara Davies

Jennifer Ingle 

Crafter�s Companion US

This is one of my makes, I used one of the gorgeous A4 black and white pads and a set of the fantastic Colourista pencils - YES PENCILS!!! how vibrant are these colours! I cut the page down so I could work with this shape and doodled with a white gel pen, and added a little touch of sparkle with the spectrum noir clear sparkle pen, These pencils are just gorgeousness!

These are the times you need to slot into your diary :)

We also have a FREEEEEEEEE online colouring course happening with loads of tips and ideas something you won't want to miss! Click the Picture Below :) and you can Chat along with like minded colourers!

Along with the FREE course we also have a fab giveaway - CLICK HERE Only Open until 26th August 2016

I cannot wait to see the shows and share some more fab Colourista makes with you :)

Until next time

Jo

x x x

Verity Rose with No Lines...

Sunday! Oh my gosh can you believe this next week sees us into MARCH!!!!!!!

MARCH?!

Is it me or are these weeks whizzing by!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK

So I tried the No lines technique - I think I'm pleased lol, however I do think I need a ickle bit more practise! 

I have to cards to share today using this technique on both, I used a fineliner around the eyes, and I do believe I stuck my tongue out for concentration lol. I think these two girlies are my fave from the whole Verity Rose Collection!

First up is the beautiful Starlet

Isn't she just gorgeous. To create the no lines effect, I inked her up and stamped her a couple of times on scrap and then stamped her onto smooth card so you could barely see her - I needed my glasses on! ha

I used the embossing folder and cut away the debossed parts, which I then mounted the remains over my coloured image on my card, I also used some of the Starlet accessory dies and stamps and some Sparkle pens to colour those. The papers are from the collection too

Spectrum Noirs Used

Skin - Tn2,3,4,bg4, fs2,7,fs6,8,pp4
Hair - IG7,9,10,True Black, BT5
Eyes - BGR2,3,BT5
Aqua - BT5,9
Red - DR5,6,7
Cream - EB1,2,BG1,4
Floor - BG1,2,4,6, Blender
Outline - BT1

The second card uses my friend Sunbeam

She does make me smile :)

I decided to change her colour palette up and use some of the papers that match Cupcake, they all mix and match so well! the flamingos I stamped and cut using the dies.

Spectrum Noirs Used

Skin - fs6,8,pp4,tn2,3,4,bg4,fs2,7
Hair - EB2,GB8,10,BG5
Pink - Fs6,8,PP4
Cream - EB1,2
White - IG3,5,TB1,Blender
Aqua - BT1,2,3,4
Grey - IG1

Thanks for popping by

Until next time

Jo

x x x

Verity Rose...

Good Morning

Now I know its Simply Betty Saturday on my blog - so I will try and get pics edited and on here today, but I may end up blogging last weeks and this weeks next week HAHA 

Sara will be on Create and Craft TV very shortly with the stunning Verity Rose Collection

This really is cracking!

Do tune in from 9am

Today I have an easel card to share

I have used the gorgeous CD rom, the papers, the toppers and one of the dies, I love love the shape of these toppers and they for me sum up the feel of the whole collection - very vintage! I really think Verity rose works well with black cardstock too.

The CD rom is full of goodness all the characters have their own little sets - it really is too cute!

Hope you enjoy the shows! I'll be watching in me pjs :)

Until next time

Jo

x x x

Verity Rose...

HAPPY FRIDAY

Oh I am so super excited to share this Verity Rose Collection with you

It is amazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing!

and so full of everything and it all co-ordinates together - oh you'll just love it

Sara Davies will be on Create and Craft tomorrow morning with this stunning range :)

In the meantime you can check out the teams fab makes over on the Facebook pages and for everything else Crafter's Companion head to the shop :)

So whilst I was wasting *cough* hours away on pinterest, I saw this card fold and thought, hmmmmm I love that and have to try it! fab idea :) Thankyou for the tutorial! 

http://stampingwithbelinda.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/double-diamond-fold-card.html

This little cutie is called Sunbeam

Do you know what she has her own little collection of Sunbeam goodies too!

yet she still co-ordinates perfectly with every single item in the collection

I coloured her up and mounted her using 3d glue gel onto the embossed centura pearl panel, the sentiment belongs to her collection, as do the shells which I stamped on centura pearl, then I used the matching die - YEP! Matching dies! no more fussy cutting! so you guessed it, these are a total winner in my book! the gorgeous papers are from the collection and I used some matt black card stock

Isn't she just gorgeousness!

Spectrum Noirs Used

Skin - TN2,3,4,BG4,FS2,7,FS6,8,PP4
Hair - OR2,TN6,7,9
Red - CR9,10,11
Yellow - GB4,CT2,LY2
Aqua - BT1,3,4,5,9
Cream - EB2,6,BG4
Blue - TB3,4,5,6

Thanks for popping by

See you tomorrow

Jo

x x x

Aquablend Pencils...

Oh Gosh

I had such good intentions of blogging this month, but behind the scenes I havent had time to do anything - I've been super busy - but its all goodness!

I missed my Simply Betty post on Saturday argh - but I have made quite a few of the same card lol for Ella's little school friends - just not had a chance to edit it yet! eeeeeeeeeek looks like I'll be blogging a good few next week ha 

Did you see Sheena over on Create and Craft TV today with the FABULOUS NEW Aquablend Pencils from Spectrum Noir

O! M! G!

What a delight these pencils are - honestly I had an absolute blast playing with them and I am itching to get back to colouring with them - do check out the Spectrum Noir blog and facebook pages for inspiration on these - the team have done amazing samples

I have used a fab image from A Day for Daisies , I do love these images and hope to add more to my collection, I think the style of them suits watercolour perfectly too

I loved colouring with them, and feeling like an artist with my paintbrush in hand :)

I have a tutorial on how to do this background coming soon on the Spectrum Noir blog so keep a look out :)

Spectrum Noir AquaBlend Pencils Used

Skin - Coral, Cantaloupe, Straw, Charcoal Brown, Dove Grey, Champagne
Purple - Aubergine, Fig, Hyacinth
Red - Strawberry 
Grey - Ebony
Aqua - Bottle Green, Lagoon, Deep Forest 

Thanks for popping by

Jo

x x x

Happy Valentines Day...

Happy Valentines Day

We don't really do Valentines Day here, I do make Mart a card though, which is this one :) lol and I do expect him to treat me haha, but thats as far as it goes for us - no slushy romance :( I don't think my Mart has a romantic bone in his body - Bless him, but he is a diamond

Its also our neices first Birthday today - thats been one QUICK year!

Happy Birthday Pippa x x x

This month our Spectrum Noir Challenge theme is Reds and Pinks

You can hop over to the Facebook page and add you entry we would love to see it :)

I used this gorgeous Bebunni image for my card - it is my fave image from the Bebunni Floral range from Crafter's Companion

I coloured him up with spec noirs and mounted him on to my card with 3d glue gel. The heart is from Sara's love range, it is so so pretty, I cut it on coredinations card and then mounted it on red centura pearl. The Love letters is also from the Love range and I cut that on contratsing black card, my fave Grande dots folder for the background and some black cardstock to matt,

Spec noirs used
Grey - BG1,2,3,4,5,6,7,EB1
Pink - PP4, FS6,8
Red - CR4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,DR6,7
White - TB1,BG1,2, Blender
Green - DG1,2,3

I hope you have a good day whatever you are up too

Thanks for popping by

Until next time

Jo 

x x x

Morgan Fitzsimons Tuesday...

Happy Tuesday

You may have seen our lovely Fiona over on Create and Craft with our fab Aquamarkers this past few days - its a pick of the week! and alongside it there is the beautiful A Country Life collection from Morgan Fitzsimons, the stamps lend themselves so perfectly to the aquamarkers, do check them out :)

I really enjoy colouring with aquamarkers it is more forgiving than alcohol markers and so threaputic

I used the gorgeous Leaf Vein embossing folder from the textures range on kraft card and matted it onto coredinations cardstock. I cut the image using a nestie and painted it with the markers, the bow is from the cd rom

It makes for such a simple card but very pretty and neat :)

Spectrum Aquas Used

Magenta, Heather, Navy, Aquamarine, Sea Green, Moss, Evergreen

Thanks for popping over

Until next time

Jo

x x x

A Country Life...

Hiya Everyone

Back again, before I head off to bed :)

Friday sees the launch of A Country Life from Morgan Fitzsimmons and with Crafter's Companion on Create and Craft TV :)

This is such a beautiful collection, I fell in love with this image and it screamed out to be coloured with Aquamarkers :)

I wanted to keep the design of the card very clean and simple, the embossing folder is a dry stone wall from the textures collection, I thought it worked so perfectly with this image, the dies are ivy from Die'sire, covered in distress inks and shaped using a ball tool on some foam. Some contrasting black cardstock and I pierced the edges.

Aquamarkers Used

Aquamarine, Crimson, Leaf Green, Evergreen, Moss, Boulder, Chocolate, Sepia, Chestnut, Charcoal, Fawn, Desert

Thanks for popping by

Jo

x x x

Tired Thursday...

Oh my gosh

What a busy week, I cannot believe I have not been able to blog since Monday argh, sorry

My hand has been giving me jip with the colder weather, not sure how I'm going to get through the bitter winter when it kicks in! PLEASE don't snow lol 

Today I have a card to share from Sara's Recent NEW Love range launch

You can check out everything Crafter's Companion on the Website

I used stick it on the die card cardstock, and covered it in glitters, the love die I cut in black card and covered in diamond nuvo glitter, I love the way the glitter looks different on each card stock. I used some 3d glue gel to raise them, the papers are from the paper pad.

Sorry to be short and sweet today

Have a great night

Jo

x x x

Sunday... I love you...

I really do!

Sleep in and jamas are scheduled for me this week :D

Whats on your agenda

Today I have a card to share using the gorgeous NEW Love range from Sara Davies

Check out the Crafter's Companion Shop for all things Crafter's Neeeeeeeed lol

I used that stunning heart die again, and linen card, I think this collection works so beautifully with the linen cardstock. I mounted the heart onto kraft card and then mounted that onto an embossed piece of card using one of the new folders, I cut the word dies in contrasting colours to the backgrounds, the ribbon and spotty paper are also from the collection - this paper pad is a complete must have! I adore it :) I think this heart die is amazing I can see it being used on just about everything possible lol

Have a lovely day

Until next time

Jo

X X X

Festive Friday...

 Happy Friday
WHOOOOOOO
WEEKEND
I need this weekend so much!

Today I have another Christmassy make to share

This one uses a fab image from La La Land Crafts

Paper Doll Elf

I quite like Elf images - I have a few and rarely use them - mind you that is the story of my life with Digi images - I really should stop buying them - but its such an addiction lol and a healthy one!

I made a tunnel card, is that what these are called?!

I used the stunning A3 printed snowy card from Crafter's Companion and matted it with some white cardstock. The snowflakes are from Sara Davies Festive wonder range and the circle from the centre of the accordion dies, the sentiment is from the Essentials only words collection.

 I used coredinations to cut the greeting from

Spectrum Noirs Used

Skin - FS6,8,PP4,BG5,FS2,7,TN2,3,4,5

Hair - GB8,GB10, EB1,2, BG5

White - IG2,5,TB2

Purple - HB1,2,3,LV2

Grey - IG3,5,6

Crystal Clear Sparkle Pen

I would like to enter this into

Fab N Funky - For a Child

Dream Valley - Christmas

Thanks for popping by

Until next time

Jo

X X X